Collapsible and portable bath-tub.



W. R. WARD.

COLLAPSIBLE AND PORTABLE BATH TUB.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 31 1913.

1,1 30,777. Patented Mar. 9, 1915' 2 SHEET$SHEET1 WITNESSES: INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

W. R. WARD.

COLLAPSIBLB AND PORTABLE BATH TUB.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 31. 1913 1,1 30,777. Patented Mar. 9, 1915.

2 SHEETS *SHEET 2 d. mM H V m m H w Z W s am E Q NQNHN WILLIAM R. WARD,OF KANSAS CITY, KANSAS.

COLLAPSIBLIELAND PORTABLE BATH-TUB.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 9, 1915.

Application filed July 31, 1918. Serial No. 782,321.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM R. WARD, a citizen of the United States,residing at Kansas City, in the county of Wyandotte and State of Kansas,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Collapsible andPortable Bath-Tubs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a portable, collapsible bath-tub, my objectbeing to provide an inexpensive bathing apparatus of the kind,-adaptedfor use in bedrooms, without bath fixtures, or in camps, where it willbe useful for engineers, surveyors, hunters, bridge-builders, miners andothers.

In order that the invention may be fully understood, reference will nowbe made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of a bath apparatus constructedaccording to my 1nvention, the bath-tub being set up ready for use. Fig.2 is a top view of the bath-tub when set up ready for use. Fig. 3 is. a

erspective view of the same, with the frame or the tub removed. Fig. 4is a plan view of one end of the fabric of the tub, laid flat, showingfolds by broken lines.

The frame of the bath-tub comprises duplicate longitudinal or sideframes 1, and duplicate end frames 2. Each side frame is composed of alongitudinal rail 1, preferably three uprights 3, and diagonal braces 4.Rail 1 is attached to the upper ends of its respective uprights 3 bypermanent pivots 5 and removable pivots 6, which are shown as rivets andbolts, respectively. Said rail is made in two equal sections,pivotally-connected by the bolt 6. The

races 4 are attached to oints intermediate the ends of the railsections, by pivot-bolts 8, and the lower ends of said braces areattached to the uprights 3 by permanent pivots 9 and a removable pivot10. After removal of the bolts, this frame is foldable into a narrow,compact parcel. The outer end of each rail section 1 projects as at 12,

and a hole 13 is bored through each said projection, for a reasonpresently explained.

Each of the above-mentioned end frames 22, consists of a top rail, madein two equal sections connected by an ordinary hinge 14 on the outside,which permits the rail to break inwardly but not outwardly. On the freeend of each section is an integral dowel 15 which is long enough to passthrough the hole 13 in a side rail and then projects about an inch, asshown. The free end of each end-rail section is also provided with apivoted hook 16; and the side rail sections are provided withcoengageable eyes 17 whereby the side-rail ends are held from slippingoff the dowels 15.

The body of the tub consists of 3 rectangular sheet 18 of any suitable,waterproof fabric. The edges of said sheet are provided with circularmetal eyelets 19, 19', and in addition each corner thereof is providedwith an oblong metal eyelet 20. A piece of rope 21 is threaded in andout through the eyelets 19 along each longitudinal margin of the sheet,the ends of each rope being knotted, or fastened, at 22. Said ropes areleft sufliciently slack to form narrow loops 23 at the outer side of thetub when the fabric is in osition.

To amemble the athtub for use, the frame l2 is set up as will beunderstood from the foregoing description; then the fabric 18 is foldedup into the form shown by Fig. 3 and is placed within the frame. The endframes 22 are bent inwardly upon their hinges, to permit the dowels 15to be inserted in eyelets 19' when the fabric is turned upward andfolded along the broken lines, Fig. 4. The oblong e elets 20 will thenbe at the upper corners o the triangular flaps 18'. The portions 18 ofthe sheet will stand inside the end rails, while said flaps 18 areplaced outside said rails. Each end frame 2 is provided with a pair ofturnbuttons 24 having oblong heads that register with and will passthrough the two oblong eyelets 20. After being so inserted, said buttonsare turned crosswise of the eyelets, whereby the upturned ends 18" andflaps 18 are safely fastened to the end frames The end frames 2 are thenstraightened which tautens the fabricf The rope loops 23 are to bepassed over the upwardly projecting ends 26 of four of the braces 4 asmost clearly shown. on Figs. 1 and 2; thus supporting the upper edges ofthe side portions 18 of the tub.

It willbe observed that the bottom of the tub rests upon the floor.Owing to this construction there will be very little strain upon theframe, which may, therefore, be made of quite light, slender strips ofwood or metal.

The tub when set up as shown will hold water without leakage and willproperly resist the outward pressure of the water.

To empty this tub, it should be detached from the frame, the endsbrought toward each other, and carried by loops 23 to the place foremptying, To remove the dowels 15 from the eyelets 19, the end frames 2should be broken inward upon the hinges 14.

Having thus described-my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

1. A collapsible bathtub comprising duplicate longitudinal side frameshaving holes in the ends thereof, a fabric body forming the bottom andsides of the tub,

said sides having holes therein to register with the holes in the endsof the side frames, and end frames having dowels projecting from theextremities thereof and adapted 'to pass through the registering holesin the fabric and the longitudinal side frames, substantially asdescribed.

2. A collapsible bathtub comprising duplicate longitudinal side frameshaving holes in the ends thereof, a fabric body forming the bottom andsides of the tub, said sides having holes therein to register with theholes in the ends of the side frames, end frames having dowelsprojecting from the extremities thereof and adapted to as through theregistering holes in the fa ric and the longitudinal side frames, eyeson the side frames, and hooks pivoted on the and frames and adapted toengage said sides to secure the whole in operative position,substantially as described.

3. A collapsible bathtub consisting of four longitudinal side stripspivoted together in pairs, uprights to support said strips, diagonalbraces connecting said u rights and the side strips, a one-piece fa ricconstituting the bottom, sides and ends of the tub, two end stripshinged at their central portions to lie against the inner upper ends ofsaid fabric to kee the same taut, dowels projecting from said end stripsthrough registering holes in the fabric and the side strips, and meanson the end strips and the side strips to detachably-connect said strips,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature,

in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM R. WARD. Witnesses F. G. FISCHER, K. M. IMBODEN.

